Why I'm in Youth Ministry, part 1

I've immersed myself in youth ministry articles today, and one that I came across was talking about the ten reasons churches need youth ministry- why they should buy into it. It got me thinking about why I buy into it, so I did a little exercise- Ten Reasons I'm in Youth Ministry. As I did this, it was encouraging and served as a reminder for me. When I redo my office, I'm going to hang it up in here. I really think- regardless of what field you're in- this is a good exercise to do. So anyway- here's the first half. You'll get the second half tomorrow :)

1. I've seen the transforming power of God first hand as a teen, and I want others to experience that. God shook my foundation when I was 17, and the adventure we've been on together is indescribable. I want my students to experience that kind of love and grace and power for themselves.

2. I believe in the power of teens. I tell everyone that I have the best teens in the world- so does every other youth minister. I honestly believe that teenagers really run the world- that's why nearly all marketing is directed at them. Being an adolescent is powerful, yet often they aren't given a voice. I want to be an advocate for them- I want to bridge the gap between teens and adults.

3. I LOVE seeing them grow. This is across the board with kids- I love when they realize something for the first time and their faces light up. I love when they go through the awkward junior high phase. I love seeing them start to turn into adults around their junior/senior year. I love hearing them repeat something I've said when I didn't think they were listening.

4. Teens are the church. [Bear with me- I'm about to have a moment] I HATE HATE HATE when youth ministry is seen as glorified babysitting. I love that Josh Griffin's blog is called "More than Dodgeball," because so often, people don't see youth ministry that way [Josh is YP at Saddleback]. Yes, there are times where we have shaving cream in our hair in the name of Jesus, but students relate to that. It's easy to say "Teens are the church of tomorrow" because they're young, but trust me- spend an hour with my students as they plan a worship service around some chips and salsa, and you'll see their heart for this community. You'll see their heart for Jesus. Jesus didn't make people wait until they were 18 to join the church- everyone had a role, regardless of their age, status, gender.

5. I know what being a teen is like. Being a teen is one of the most exciting and painful times in your life. The amount of changes that take place seriously blows my mind- relational, physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual all in one fowl swoop. I've told my kids before, part of being a teenager is making bonehead mistakes, and the other part is learning from those mistakes. I can empathize with where they're at in life, and hopefully help them walk through it in a way that honors God.